Creating Reports from SharePoint Lists: A Comprehensive Guide

Creating a report from a SharePoint list can be accomplished in several ways depending on your specific needs and the tools available to you. This guide will walk you through different methods to generate useful and informative reports from your SharePoint lists.

1. Export to Excel

Steps:

Go to your SharePoint list. Click on the Export to Excel option in the command bar. This will download an Excel file containing your list data which you can then format and analyze as needed.

Exporting to Excel is an easy method for generating reports if you need simple data manipulation and analysis.

2. Power BI

Steps:

Open Power BI Desktop. Use the Get Data feature to connect to your SharePoint list. Once connected, you can create visualizations and reports based on your list data. Publish your Power BI report to the Power BI Service for sharing.

Power BI is a powerful tool for more complex data analysis and visualization, providing insights beyond basic spreadsheet capabilities.

3. SharePoint Views

Steps:

Create custom views in your SharePoint list to filter and sort data. You can save these views for easy access or share them with others. Use the Print option to print the view or convert it to a PDF.

Custom views provide a flexible way to generate reports with specific data criteria without extensive technical knowledge.

4. Microsoft Power Automate

Steps:

Create a flow in Power Automate that triggers based on changes to the SharePoint list. Use actions to format the data and send it to an email, Excel file, or other destinations. This can automate the reporting process based on specific criteria.

Power Automate is ideal for automating the reporting process and ensuring that reports are generated at specific intervals or when certain conditions are met.

5. Custom SharePoint Pages

Steps:

Use SharePoint’s site pages to create a custom page that displays list data using web parts. You can use the List web part to show data directly on a page. Combine it with other web parts for a comprehensive report layout.

Custom SharePoint pages can be tailored to meet specific reporting needs with a mix of dynamic data and static content.

6. Third-Party Reporting Tools

Third-party reporting tools such as:

Tableau Crystal Reports QlikView

often provide advanced reporting and analytics capabilities that can integrate with SharePoint lists. These tools are particularly useful for complex data analysis and visualization.

7. SharePoint Framework SPFx

If you have development skills, you can create a custom web part using SPFx to display and manipulate list data dynamically.

8. JSON Formatting

You can use JSON to format the view of your SharePoint list to customize how data appears directly within the SharePoint interface.

Conclusion

The choice of method depends on your specific requirements such as the complexity of the report, the need for automation, and the tools you have access to. For simple reporting, exporting to Excel or using SharePoint views might suffice, while Power BI and custom solutions provide more advanced capabilities.